Remember Me O God

I just finished reading the book of Nehemiah for my daily bible reading. At the end of the book, Nehemiah returns from Persia and finds that the Jews in Jerusalem (specifically the priests and leaders of the people) have gone astray from following God and have intermarried with foreigners and allowed idols into the temple again, etc. He corrects these wrongs and chastises those responsible and calls them all to turn from their evil ways back to following God and His laws with a whole heart. After 3 separate accounts of how he challenges sin and stands up for "right", he calls upon God to remember him and to bless him. Here's what it says:

Nehemiah 13:14 "Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services."

Nehemiah 13:22b "For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness."

Nehemiah 13:31b "Remember me, O my God, for good."

This really got my attention and caused me to think. Will I stand up for what God says is good and right even in the face of potential conflict? Will I do it simply out of reverence for God and trust in Him that He will deliver me and provide for me whatever outcome is best?

Honestly though, I do not have many situations where people will mock and scorn me (to my face) for my beliefs. The bigger issue in my life is whether I will choose to do what is right and good, entrusting myself to God to bring about the best outcome. I don't live with some great fear that my neighbors will mock me and reject me because I tell them that Jesus is my Savior. However, when it comes down to the daily choices that I make - for example whether to submit to my husband with a smile and a contented heart - then I really see the application for my bible reading from Nehemiah.

For Nehemiah, he called upon God to bless him and remember him for good because he was in the midst of conflict with the people of Israel, but I must call upon God to bless me and remember me for good because I am in the midst of conflict within myself: namely, do I obey God and place myself in a position of weakness or do I obey my flesh and fight for my own desires. Nehemiah loved God and valued the gloriousness of God over his own desires so for Him the only good and right option (because of His God given role) was to challenge the sin going on around him and entrust himself to God. For me if I love God and value His gloriousness, then the good and right thing for me to do (because of my God given role) is to submit to God and as such my husband with all respect and honor. As such, I must focus my heart upon God and cry out with Nehemiah for God to see my obedience and to remember me in His lovingkindness, for good.

O God, strengthen me and lead me by your Holy Spirit to obey You with all reverence especially when it is difficult and then Father; remember me for good according to the greatness of your lovingkindness.